Electronic signature analysis is generally a procedure for acquiring current and voltage signals, performing signal conditioning and analyzing the derived signals to identify various faults. Electronic signature analysis is a versatile and powerful, yet truly non-intrusive technology that can be readily integrated into most electromechanical equipment to greatly enhance condition diagnostics and prognostics capabilities. Electronic signature analysis provides diagnostic and prognostic information and requires only access to electrical lines carrying input or output power rather than to the equipment itself. Thus, either onboard or remote analysis is possible even if continuous monitoring if desired. Such an analysis approach has already been tested on and successfully applied to a wide variety of systems, including military, industrial, and consumer equipment.
The majority of prior art current analysis techniques possess limited capabilities in providing a cost effective solution. A current sensing device (e.g., resistor, current transformer, etc.) is required to be placed at each of the electrical loads (e.g., motors, solenoids, blowers, heaters, sensors, etc.) to be monitored in a particular machine module. Such an approach is very costly due to the extra circuitry and board space needed to accommodate the circuitry, as well as an increased number of I/O lines to a microprocessor to read the information. Similarly, faulty wire harnesses and unplugged components associated with the machine module cannot be detected automatically. Hence, preordering of faulty parts is not possible if the machine module does not possess a diagnosing capability for its own electrical problems.
Based on the foregoing, it is believed that a need exists for an improved method and system for incorporating electronic signature analysis in low voltage power supplies and for providing a cost effective solution by reducing the extra circuitry as well as the number of I/O lines to the microprocessor.